MEETING OF PROTEST

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 70, 20 September 1927, Page 8

MEETING OF PROTEST

ENGINEER DISCHARGED

BODY TO MARCH TO COUNCIL

(By Telegraph.)

(Special to "The Evening Post.")

AUCKLAND, This Day. A body of ratepayers proposes to march in force to the meeting this evening of the Mount Albert Borough Council to ask that the council shall either make a definite charge against Mr. W. H. Cook, who was recently discharged from the position of resident engineer, or resign. A decision on these lines was reached at a meeting of protest convened by the Mount Albert' Ratepayers' and Residents' Association last evening. The building was crowded, and many had to stand. There were numerous lively interludes, a small section voicing its endorsement of the council's action, but there was a very substantial majority in favour of the decision which was reached.

There was some excitement when Mr. M. O'Callaghan intimated that he proposed to place Mr. Cook on oath before asking him to answer questions. A member of the audience questioned Mr. O'Callaghan's right to act in that capacity, whereupon Mr. R. Matthews, claiming to have the necessary qualifications, mounted the stage and administered the oath.

Mr. Cook then enumerated* the disabilities under which he had been labouring. His statement was on the lines of that recently published. "My office boy wrote a racy skit on the elections," said Mr Cook. "This got into the hands of some councillors, and all who had the handling of the skit, or seemed to have read.it, were sacked."